Picking Up the Pieces (Pieces, #2)(4)

I no longer felt rushed to get to work. I would happily stare at him for as long as I could.

The line moved up as the barista slid the large coffee Adam’s way. He picked it up quickly and moved confidently toward the cream and sugar station against the far wall, where he poured a generous amount of milk into his cup and swirled it around.

I didn’t even have to look at his face as he turned to leave to know I’d been wrong. Adam drank his coffee black with just sugar. The man wasn’t him. I’d just wanted it to be.

***

After our compulsory “welcome back” breakfast in the cafeteria, our principal Mr. Murdock told us we had a ten minute break before the first meeting would commence in the auditorium. The herd shuffled through the halls, some eager to start the new year, but most just wondering where the summer had gone.

Tina and I found seats on the aisle as the superintendent rose to speak. “Good morning, everyone,” Dr. Edwards began once the noise from the crowd had died down. “I hope that all of you have had an enjoyable and relaxing summer. I know I did.” She rambled on for a bit about her vacation to California, and then directed us to the big screen that had lowered behind her on stage. “As many of you know, I like to open with a slideshow each year. Usually, we show pictures of school events: the plays, field days, concerts. But this year, I thought I’d show the people behind all of that. I thought I’d show all of you because you are the ones who make those things happen. A few weeks ago I sent out an email asking for pictures of your summer vacations, and I received an overwhelming response. Thanks to all of you who contributed.” Dr. Edwards stepped to the side as the lights dimmed and the slideshow began to play. The song "You're the Best" began to play as pictures of the teachers flashed on the screen. I couldn’t help but think that the song didn’t apply to every face I saw.

My eyes stared blankly at the screen ahead of me as I took in the pictures of Erin Sutton’s honeymoon in Barbados, Ryan Lonoff and his two sons huddled around a campfire, and Kim Flynn and her husband Matt with their family at the beach. Some more slides flickered on the screen as I got lost in my own daydream. The last time I had been in this auditorium with music playing and the lights off, I had been on the other side of the curtain, lost in Max’s dirty words and the rough touch of his powerful hands. I had been in my own world, oblivious to what was happening around me. And I don’t just mean at that moment. Things were happening around me . . . to me, and I hadn’t been aware of them until it was too late.

Tina interrupted my trance with an elbow to my side and a goofy laugh. “It figures you’d send one of you eating,” she joked as she pointed to the screen where there was a close-up of me in Italy devouring a slice of pizza.

I had sent several pictures when Dr. Edwards requested them, and of course she had chosen a close-up of me eating. Why did I even send that one to begin with? The waiter had taken my picture from a few feet away. I am sitting outside of a trendy bistro at a black wrought iron table for two, but the other chair is conspicuously empty. I couldn’t help but wonder if the rest of the faculty noticed that as easily as I had. I hoped they didn’t.

“Wow, you did manage to stay away from guys while you were traveling through Europe by yourself. I didn’t think you could do it,” Tina said incredulously. So much for my hope that people wouldn't notice. "I sure as shit wouldn’t have been able to.”

“Well, almost,” I said with a forced laugh. “I didn’t have it in me to avoid France like I’d hoped. I met a hottie named Nikolas. We did go out a few times. Just to late dinners and a soccer game, but that’s as far as I would take it. You weren’t kidding about the vibrator thing though. I wish I would have listened to you and gotten one before I left. It would have come in handy on more than one occasion.”

“You know I’ve never steered you wrong,” Tina replied. “I’m full of all kinds of good advice. Now my next suggestion is for us to take a break. Murdock’s getting ready to speak, and I need to mentally prepare myself before listening to him for any length of time.”

I felt my smile spread to my eyes as it became more genuine. “Let’s go,” I said as I nodded my head toward the auditorium exit.

***

Five minutes later we were back in our seats. Mr. Murdock had already begun speaking, and since I felt more refreshed after my break, I paid attention. “I know you’re probably all wondering what this year’s theme will be,” he said excitedly. I didn’t share his enthusiasm. “This year our focus will be ‘hands-on teachers.’ Or, as you’ll often hear us refer to it, ‘HOT.’”

He laughed loudly at his lame pun.

“Ha, they’ve gotta be kidding with us with this. I don’t even wanna know what they mean by ‘hands-on teachers.’ Is this for real?” I asked Tina, who was already jotting down the acronym in her notebook and laughing about it.

“Well, you already had the ‘hands on’ part mastered last year, so it should come easily to you.” She snickered at her own joke, and I rolled my eyes, though I couldn’t help but be somewhat amused.

Just when I thought our new theme couldn’t get more embarrassing, the assistant principal began passing out green T-shirts with the slogan “We are H.O.T.” Nope, they're definitely not kidding.